A SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONER HAS CALLED FOR AN EMERGENCY MEETING TO DISCUSS WHETHER THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SHOULD BE REMOVED AS THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE COUNTY’S PURCHASING PRACTICES CONTINUES. COMMISSIONER JOE BARBETTA TOLD THE HERALD TRIBUNE MONDAY MORNING THAT HE BELIEVES THE PROBLEMS HAVE REACHED A CRISIS POINT, AND HE WANTED TO ADDRESS IT SOONER THAN LATER. BUT COMMISSION CHAIR NORA PATTERSON REFUSED TO CALL THE MEETING AFTER TALKING TO ADMINISTRATOR JIM LEY, WHO DENIED RUMORS THAT HE WAS PLANNING TO STEP DOWN. PATTERSON, WHO IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN CALL FOR A SPECIAL MEETING, SAID A MEETING IS ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR NEXT TUESDAY WHEN AUDITORS ARE SUPPOSED TO REPORT TO COMMISSIONERS ON THEIR FINDINGS OF THEIR REVIEW OF THE COUNTY’S PURCHASING ACTIVITIES. BARBETTA BELIEVES THAT LEY SHOULD BE REMOVED, BUT THAT COULD COST THE COUNTY $300,000 IN SEVERANCE AND ACCUMULATED SICK PAY. LEY GETS NONE OF THAT IF HE RESIGNS.
